Posted on 05/27/2011 10:36:25 AM PDT by Dr. Zzyzx
Freeper Friends,
I was saddened by JimRob's imperious pronouncement yesterday, and the ensuing comments & zots. Here's why. One of this site's primary pillars is the Bill of Rights which calls for Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Right to a trial by jury. We believe in those things. We believe in them to the point of being willing to sacrifice our lives for them. And yet on this site, when a JimRob cuts people off for what they say or believe Freepers cheer him like Baghdad Bob would cheer Saddam Hussein! That's not America folks!
"He owns the site!" you say. Tell that to Steven Jobs who got dumped a few years ago from the company he started because he created an IPO to get financial support from others. Once JimRob started taking YOUR money, it became YOUR site. YOU provide the content, YOU provide the financing. Without YOU, Jim would be a lonely guy staring at a monitor in his den.
How can we say we want freedoms out one side of our mouths, and stand by and cheer as Jim zots dissenters in a way that would make medieval Europe's most dictatorial tyrants proud?
John Stuart Mill had the right approach--let all the ideas fight it out in the arena. If they're foolish ideas, they will eventually be seen as such. We don't have anything to fear from hearing someone else's point of view.
Now. In case you're wondering:
My membership date is actually one and a half years earlier than the November 1999 date shown. (Had to re-enlist because of computer and email trouble)
I was raised in Arizona but live in Utah. I fly the Arizona flag on my profile because I'm proud of their stance on immigration.
Ive told anyone that will listen that I think Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman are shifty weasels.
I served on the city council and as the mayor of my community.
I played a part in the grassroots effort to throw Bob Bennett out of office, and hope soon to do the same to Orrin Hatch.
I waged a pitched battle in the newspapers and amongst my fellow teachers against the president, officers, and organization of the Utah Education Association, an arm of the NEA.
I became disenchanted with the Republican party after some of the things George Bush (though I admire his courage and determination) did that I felt were harmful to the financial well-being of America.
In other words, I'm not a newbie troll. I just have a genuine concern with how members are treated here, and you should too.
To save you the electrons of posting replies, I'll post them for you:
Jim owns the site, he can do what he wants.
ZOT!
Put on your asbestos suit.
Put on your tin foil hat.
Viking Kitties!
Don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya!
A cheese-eating moose bit my sister.
These concepts all relate to government and to issues of government's proper function.
What relevance does a private forum have to do with any of this?
JR's forum will neither break your leg or filch your wallet (to quote a person of some note).
What does it say about someone that they cannot comprehend the security provided by rules strictly administered? Reminds me of clueless teenagers rebelling against parents just to be rebelious. Bless your limited heart, don’t you yet realize the support for Freerepublic and participation in Freeping is voluntary?
Jim doesn’t take my money, I give it.
I’m not purchasing FR, I’m endorsing it.
Not that it really matters, but I agree with you, why are people so afraid of dissenting ideas?
Buh bye
Jealous?
BWAHAAAAAHAAAAA! Haven't you found any yet today and wanted to say it so bad...
It’s a Free Will donation.
If you don’t want to give, don’t.
But don’t complain if the site goes under.
I don’t care for how certain groups are treated. I avoid those threads.
If you do not like the way Jim runs things, then use your own money, skills and talents to go open your own blog.
By the way, Jim does not “take” anyone’s money. Funds are DONATED - i.e. given freely to support his efforts.
...and hugh. Very hugh.
Hoss
I can seriously do without reading what a Legalize Drugs Pothead has to say about everything, or anything.
What is it all about?
Ha! Yeah, I must be the owner of a Sam Adams brewery.
If you had a site, then you could set the rules. I agree with Jim. This is a conservative site and we do not need anything about mitt or anyone like him. He is not a conservative.
Forgive me for saying this but this doesn’t make any sense.
Do you favor open primaries as well, where Democrats in 2012 will go select the Republican nominee? If there were no restrictions on what people espoused on this site, if there was no unifying philosophy that it was a requirement to adhere to, then this site would look like a Yahoo! chat room.
The lowest common denominator would rule the roost, no one would see any need to donate to the site and it would dissolve shortly after. I don't agree with the management around here on everything, but no homosexual agenda and no pro abortion posts is not too strenuous a requirement.
LOL. Did you report your own comment as abuse?
That would have really driven home the point.
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